


of coffee & kittens

by Martsa



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Animal Traits, Cliches Galore, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-10 16:51:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11695875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Martsa/pseuds/Martsa
Summary: Otabek Altin is a barista, living a pretty average life in a world where animal shapeshifters are a part of society but frowned upon by many. He doesn't know that a blonde boy called Yuri and a orange tabby cat are about to turn his life upside down. In other words, the coffee shop AU with a twist that no one asked for. (Rating will go up in later chapters.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> another coffee shop au? yes. 
> 
> there will be cliches. so many cliches. you have been warned.

When the blonde teenager enters the coffee shop, the first thing Otabek notices are his eyes; they are bright green and burning with anger, staring daggers at anyone who crosses his path. There's a very specific type of intensity in his gaze, one that comes from experience and cannot be learned. _Those are the eyes of someone who's been through a lot,_ Otabek thinks, and silently hopes that the boy isn't going to take out all that anger on him. He's not in the mood to deal with anyone else's issues– he's a barista, not a therapist, even though customers sometimes treat him like one.

”Mocha latte with whipped cream and marshmallows. And extra chocolate.” 

No ”hello” or ”please,” which is sort of irritating. Otabek nods and says ”Coming right up” in his best customer service voice, rolling his eyes as he goes to make the drink. Some people really need to learn some manners... Well, at least the guy isn't on his phone. People who fiddle with their phone while ordering are the worst.

”There you go.”

There's no ”thank you” when the boy grabs his drink, either, but that's hardly surprising. He decides to ignore it and focuses on taking the next order– he's too busy to dwell on a random customer's lack of manners. Stuff like that happens multiple times a day.

After he finishes serving the other customers in line Otabek doesn't have much to do so he starts wiping the counter, enjoying the silence. It's been a busy day but things are finally slowing down and it's nice to be able to take a breather. He likes his job, sure, but it can get pretty overwhelming from time to time.

”Hey, Beka, guess what I just heard?”

His coworker (she's new and her name starts with M but he can't remember it) walks up to him and Otabek swallows a groan. She's nice enough, for the most part, but doesn't seem to grasp the concept of personal space or understand that sometimes people prefer to be left alone. She also has some very strong political opinions that can make people feel rather uncomfortable if they don't agree with her.

And he never gave her the permission to use that nickname.

”Well, what is it?” Otabek asks, giving her a forced smile, and M-something starts talking about something that's been on the news, a new law that's going to take away even more rights from the shapeshifting community. She thinks that it's a great thing, that ”normal people” need to be protected, and Otabek bites his tongue to stop himself from making any poignant comments. This isn't the right time or place for a political debate, but he doesn't agree with her. Not at all.

People are people, that's all there is to it. He doesn't understand why everyone's making such a big deal out of something like this. So what if someone can turn into a dog or a bird or any other animal? That doesn't make them any more suspicious or dangerous than any other person. Honestly, on a personal level he's more wary of so-called ”normal” people than shapeshifters. Unfortunately the vast majority of people seem to agree with his coworker.

”I mean, if this continues, they're gonna start saying that having pets is unethical, you know? And I'm not going to change the way _I_ live _my_ life because _they_ think it's wrong,” she says and rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. ”And it's not my fault that...”

Otabek nods every now and again, acting like he's paying attention even though he's already zoning out. For some reason his eyes seem to constantly gravitate to the blonde sitting at the table in the corner, intently typing something on his phone. There's a certain something about that boy that intrigues him, though he can't really put his finger on it. It's just a vague but very persistent feeling.

Maybe it's just that he's pretty. Otabek has to admit that he really is stunningly beautiful. Not the type of guy he would usually go for, admittedly, but very attractive nevertheless. It's a shame that he seems to have such a bad attitude.

”Anyway, I just don't think that they should be allowed to look after other people's children. Who knows what they're gonna do when no one's watching, you know? And besides– are you even listening?”

”What? Uh, yes, of course I'm listening. Carry on.”

”Don't lie to me, I can tell you were daydreaming. What's so interesting about him, anyway? The guy you're staring at? And why is he wearing a hoodie?” M-something asks, watching as the boy shoves the phone back to his pocket and picks up his coffee. ”It's warm outside. That's so weird.”

”Maybe it's a fashion statement,” Otabek says and shrugs. ”Not the weirdest thing I've seen today. Or this week, even.”

She laughs and nudges him. ”You're always so diplomatic. Come on, tell me how you really feel. Do you honestly think it's not strange? I think it looks like he's trying to hide something.”

Otabek is about to tell her that he really doesn't think it's that odd, but he's cut off as the door is swung open and someone enter the shop. It's a tall guy, probably at least a head taller than Otabek, and instead of walking up to the counter he makes a beeline to the blonde boy. Judging by the looks on their faces it's not going to be a very pleasant conversation. 

”Uh-oh. That doesn't look good,” the girl whispers, giving Otabek a concerned glance. ”Do you think we should... I don't know, do something?”

He shakes his head. ”Let's just keep an eye on them and see what happens. We can kick them out if it escalates, but it's probably just a lovers' quarrel. It happens all the time– you'll get to see a lot of those if you keep working here.”

Even though the couple tries to keep their voices down, everyone in the shop can tell they're having a fight about something. Otabek knows it's best not to intervene – people usually don't appreciate strangers butting in – but he has to admit that he doesn't really like the tall guy's tone or the way he's speaking to his companion. The blonde seems to flinch every time the man raises his voice, and something about his body language makes Otabek feel uneasy. Something just isn't right. 

But as long as they're just talking and no one's in immediate danger, it's none of his business.

Eventually the conversation winds down and stops sounding like an argument. Otabek glatches a glimpse of the tall guy smiling as he takes the blonde boy's hand in his and says something in a hushed tone. The boy nods and a few minutes later both of them get up and leave, holding hands. Mary – Otabek is pretty sure that's her name – sighs in relief and wipes her forehead dramatically.

”Thank goodness. I was getting worried. Anyway, don't you hate it when people fight in public?They should take care of their private business in private and not bother the rest of us with it,” she huffs. ”Well, all's well that ends well, I guess. I have to pick up my little sister from her ballet class so I have to leave soon, can you close up today? I promise I'll make it up to you." 

Otabek nods; he's more than glad to be rid of her. ”Sure. I don't have plans so I don't mind.”

”You're an angel! Thank you so much.”

Mary hugs him and tries to kiss his cheek. Otabek dodges it as politely as possible and gives her an awkward smile, stepping away from her. He wishes she would stop trying to flirt with him– he's been trying to let her down gently, make her understand that he's simply not interested, but she's either completely oblivious or awfully persistent. Or both.

”Yeah... You're welcome. No problem.”

 

* * *

 

 

His apartment is hot and stuffy, prompting Otabek to open a window the moment he steps inside. It does very little to help, though; the air is humid and completely still, making him feel uncomfortably warm. The back of his shirt is damp with sweat so he takes it off and puts it into the hamper– he's still just as warm as before but a little less sticky, so it's better than nothing. 

He spends a moment debating whether he should eat or shower first. He feels sweaty and gross and really needs a shower, but on the other hand he's also really hungry – and he's home alone, so he can be gross if he wants to. One of the upsides of living alone is that he gets to be as gross as he wants and no one is going to complain.

The downside of living alone is that he gets really lonely sometimes, but he quickly pushes those thoughts away. He's not going to go there right now. Now's really not a good time to start feeling sorry for himself.

”Let's see,” Otabek mutters to himself as he opens the cupboard and wonders what he should make for dinner. It's been a while since the last time he went grocery shopping – he hates supermarkets – so his options are limited. He starts writing a mental shopping list as he picks up a can of tuna and a bag of rice and sets them on the kitchen counter.

The sound of something falling to the floor pulls him back to reality, and he turns around to discover that there's now a kitten sitting at the other end of the counter. It's an orange tabby cat that kind of looks like a mini tiger, thanks to the stripes that run down its sides. Otabek is pretty sure the cat is the reason his water bottle is now laying on the floor but he's not mad about it– the cat is pretty damn cute. 

”Good evening to you too. Where did you come from?” He smiles but doesn't try to pet the cat; there's no knowing if it's friendly or not. ”I don't think I've seen you before. I guess you saw the open window and decided to pay me a visit, did you? That's very nice of you. I hope your owner's not too worried. If you have one, that is... But you look like someone's been looking after you, so I think you do.”

The cat tilts its head and meows, sniffing the can of tuna on the counter. Otabek chuckles and slowly reaches for the can and picks it up, not making any sudden moves. ”So this is what you want, huh? You're after a free dinner, aren't you? That's alright, I can appreciate that. I love free food as well.”

He opens the can and dumps the tuna on a plate, carefully placing it on the counter and pushing it closer to the cat. It meows and immediately begins to eat, wolfing down the food with surprising voracity.

”Wow, you must've been really hungry. You're welcome, by the way,” Otabek says softly, watching the cat as it slowly moves closer to him. He really wants to pet the it – that orange fur looks so soft – but he knows that patience is the key when dealing with animals, especially if they don't know you. If he scares off the cat now, it's never going to trust him again, and that would be a shame. It seems like a nice cat.

The cat rubs its head into his hand and purrs. The sound makes Otabek smile and he tentatively pets the cat, very gently running his fingers through the soft fur. ”Hello, buddy,” he whispers. ”You're such a pretty kitty. I wish I could keep you but I'm pretty sure you have an owner already. You're free to come visit me whenever, though.”

The purring gets louder and the cat closes its eyes, clearly enjoying the attention it's getting. Otabek spends a good five minutes like that, just petting the cat and talking to it, telling it about his day; animals are great listeners, much better than people. And maybe he's just imagining things again, but he honestly feels like the cat really is listening to him. It's a surprisingly nice feeling.

Maybe he should get a cat. He wouldn't have to come home to an empty apartment if he had a pet.

”Oh, do you really have to go already?” Otabek laughs as the cat turns around and jumps on the windowsill. The setting sun makes its orange fur look even more intensely orange. ”But we were getting along so well! I really felt like we were bonding and all... Well, off you go, then. Thank you, come again.”

The cat jumps out of the window and lands on top of a trash can, turning around to look at him and meow loudly before running off.

 


	2. Chapter 2

”Looks like he enjoys your coffee.”

”Huh?” Otabek stops what he's doing and looks at Mary, his brow furrowing in confusion. He has no idea who she's referring to. ”What are you talking about? He as in... who?”

She rolls her eyes and gestures to the corner table. ” _Him_ , obviously. Duh. You know, the grumpy little blonde. He's been here every other day since, you know, the first time he came here. I didn't think we'd see him again but I guess your coffee-making skills impressed him.”

”I guess,” he says with a non-committal shrug. ”I haven't really thought about it. We have a lot of regulars, though, so I don't think it has anything to do with me in particular. Maybe he just likes the place.”

While Otabek isn't lying, technically speaking he's not being completely honest either. He has, in fact, noticed that the teenager has started to frequent the coffee shop. It's somewhat surprising, but a positive surprise at that – the boy's not a ray of sunshine by any means, but he's not as rude as he used to be. Some days are better than others, naturally, but at least he remembers to say ”please” and ”thank you” now. That's progress.

”I still think he's weird,” Mary says, squinting a bit. ”And he's wearing a hoodie. Again. He's always wearing a hoodie– I think he's definitely hiding something. Normal people don't wear hoodies in this weather. Maybe he has tried to kill himself and is using those long sleeves to cover the scars or something.”

”...or maybe he just likes hoodies,” Otabek says, his voice laced with sarcasm. He's getting really tired of Mary's ridiculous theories. She appears to find almost everyone ”suspicious” in one way or another these days. ”Just saying, you know. Maybe you shouldn't jump into conclusions like that. And by the way, suicide is a pretty touchy subject. You should probably keep your voice down if you don't want to offend anyone.”

She shrugs. ”I guess it could be that, but there's just something so _weird_ about him. I bet he has, like, a dark secret, and I want to know what it is.”

Otabek isn't sure why he expected her to actually listen to him.

”Why are you so interested in him, anyway? I mean, he did kind of cause a scene but other than that he's just another customer. He's pretty harmless in comparison to some people.”

”Yeah, but you're always staring at him and I'm trying to figure out what makes him so special. You never look at anyone else like that.”

The reply makes Otabek raise his brow and stare at Mary in disbelief. Sometimes he honestly can't tell if she's being serious or just joking– she says extremely weird things with a completely straight face sometimes. He huffs at the accusation and rolls his eyes, saying, ”Oh, come on, that's ridiculous. I don't stare at him. I don't have time to stare at people, I've got a job to do.”

”Um, yes, you do. Maybe you don't notice that you're staring, but I sure do,” she insists. ”I'm sure he has noticed it, too. And besides-”

Much to Otabek's relief, a couple of new customers enter the shop and Mary never gets a chance to finish her sentence. He quickly flees the scene as she goes to serve the customers, deciding that now's a great time for him to go on his break and disappearing into the back room. He needs some time away from her before he snaps and says something he'll regret.

Maybe he has been staring, yeah, but that's not something you bring up in a conversation. There are things you're not supposed to talk about. There are things you're supposed to ignore in order to be polite and not make the other person feel awkward, but apparently Mary doesn't know how to be subtle. It makes Otabek wonder how on earth she has any friends.

And so what if he's been staring? It doesn't _mean_ anything. If you find someone to be aesthetically pleasing, it's only natural that you want to look at them, right? It's not like Otabek's in love with him. You can't fall in love with a complete stranger– but you can fall in lust with them. That would explain why he can't take his eyes off the green-eyed boy.

Yeah. That must be it.

 

* * *

 

Otabek exits the shop after his shift, only to discover that it has started to rain. Usually he likes the rain, but tonight he has to walk home and he doesn't have an umbrella. Not a winning combination. With a sigh he opens his messenger back and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. After a day like this he really needs a smoke. And a drink. And-

And his lighter is missing. Of course it is. What did he expect?

”You can borrow my lighter if you want to.”

The voice, even though it's rather quiet, startles him. Otabek turns around and notices a familiar figure standing next to him. It's their new blonde regular. ”You scared the life out of me– I didn't even realize you were there. Anyway, yeah, that'd be great.”

The boy hands over the lighter without a word. Otabek accepts it with a grateful nod and lights his cigarette, sighing contentedly. ”Thanks. I owe you one.”

”You're welcome,” the boy replies softly as Otabek returns the lighter to him. ”My name's Yuri, by the way. You're Otabek, right? Am I saying it wrong?”

”No, that's exactly how you say it. Most people get it wrong on the first try, so you're definitely in the top ten. Nice to meet you, Yuri.”

They stand there in silence for a while, but it doesn't feel awkward. Well, Otabek thinks it doesn't, at least. With some people silence always feel awkward, but this feels sort of... natural. He blows a couple of smoke rings and looks up at the dark clouds.

”Is this fucking rain ever gonna end?” Yuri sighs, his shoulders slumping. Otabek chuckles and shakes his head; he's been thinking about the exact same thing.

”I don't know, but I really hope so. I decided to walk to work today, instead of riding my motorcycle, and I don't have an umbrella with me. I was hoping it'd stop raining but it looks like I'm gonna have to walk home and get wet."

”My boyfriend was supposed to pick me up but he can't make it so and I'm so mad. Ugh, this rain is going to ruin my hair and it's all his fault. Anyway– you have a motorbike?” Yuri's eyes widen and, much to Otabek's surprise, he sounds genuinely impressed. ”That's so cool.”

”I do, yeah. It's my baby. My pride and joy. I've had it for five years. My longest relationship yet.”

Yuri smiles widely and laughs. It's the first time Otabek has seen him smile in such a warm, natural manner, and it makes him smile as well. Yuri's laughter is soft and melodic, and the way his lips turn into a smile almost makes Otabek want to kiss him-

 _No_. He quickly pushes the thought away, mentally scolding himself. Yuri has a boyfriend. He's not supposed to think about kissing someone who's already in a relationship. Thinking about doing something isn't as bad as actually doing it, sure, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Otabek knows what it feels like to be cheated on– he doesn't want to even think about putting someone else in a similar position.

It's just that Yuri is really pretty and his laughter sounds like music and he smells nice and Otabek is awfully attracted to him even though he knows it's wrong on more than one level.

They spend a good ten minutes chatting as they wait for the rain to stop, talking about whatever comes to mind. They're really hitting it off– it turns out they have a very similar sense of humor and hate the same things, and it's easy to bond over something like that. While Otabek still feels bad for being attracted to Yuri, he has to admit that he enjoys his company.

Yuri's smile quickly fades as he checks his phone, his expression turning much more serious. Otabek wants to ask if something's wrong but decides against it; they don't really know each other yet and the last thing he wants is to make Yuri feel uncomfortable. He doesn't want to go and ruin their budding friendship.

”Looks like I gotta go now. My boyfriend just texted me, and... Anyway, I gotta go.” Yuri bites his lips and fiddles with the strings of his hoodie. He looks like there's something he wants to say but he's hesitant to say it. ”It... it was nice talking to you.”

Otabek nods, pretending not to notice the change in Yuri's mood. He figures it's the polite thing to do in a situation like this. ”You too. See you around.”

His eyes follow Yuri as the boy walks away and disappears into the shadows. _Everything's probably fine,_ he tells himself. _Don't read too much into it. Stop overthinking everything. And even if something is wrong, well, he seems like a tough kid– I'm sure he can take care of himself._

”He shouldn't have to, though,” Otabek murmurs to himself as he puts out his cigarette and zips up his leather jacket. ”He shouldn't have to.”

 

* * *

 

When Otabek comes home, he sees a familiar orange kitten behind his kitchen window.

”Hello, friend. Haven't seen you in a while. I almost thought you had abandoned me,” he grins as he opens the window and lets the cat inside. ”I should have known you wouldn't do that to me. You're a loyal one, aren't you? Much more loyal than my last boyfriend.”

The cat meows and bumps its head against Otabek, asking for pets and receiving them in abundance.

”I'm not setting the bar very high, I know. You're right, he _was_ kind of a dick. I loved him, though. It was fun while it lasted. It stopped being fun when I walked in on him having sex with my best friend. That was a bad day. You ever had a day like that? I guess not. You're a cat.”

Otabek walks into the living room and sits down, turning on the TV. The kitten quickly follows, jumping on the sofa and sitting on one of the throw pillows next to him. He smiles and scratches the cat behind the ears, getting a loud purr in return.

”I think I should give you a name,” he muses, idly flipping through the channels and trying to find something to watch– he doesn't feel like doing anything productive tonight, he just wants to watch TV and not think. ”You probably already have a name, but you need a nickname, you know. You can't just be 'the cat,' it's so impersonal. How would you feel about... Tiger?”

The cat replies with a loud meow and rolls over, looking up at him. Otabek laughs and tentatively rubs the fluffy belly, keeping an eye on the cat's reactions in case it decides to claw or bite him. ”Oh my, what a soft tummy you have. And it looks like you're a boy. Just as I thought. So, you like the name, huh? Alright, I guess that's settled. From now on you shall be known as Tiger.”

He finds a somewhat decent movie and puts down the remote, leaning back against the cushions and getting comfortable. They're about halfway through the movie when Tiger jumps into his lap and curls up, closing its eyes and quickly falling asleep. The sight is almost too cute to handle and it makes him want to squeal.

Otabek doesn't dare move a muscle because he doesn't want to disturb the sleeping cat, so he ends up falling asleep on the sofa with Tiger still in his lap. When he wakes up at three in the morning his back is sore and Tiger is gone, and he can't help but feel a little disappointed. He's pretty sure Tiger has an actual owner somewhere out there, yeah, but he's starting to grow quite fond of the kitten. Perhaps a little too fond, considering Tiger isn't actually his cat.

The thing is, he could go and adopt a cat if he wanted to, but just the thought of doing so makes him feel weird. Getting another cat would be like betraying Tiger. They have already bonded and Otabek doesn't want to make Tiger feel like he's being replaced.

Fuck, it sounds really weird when he puts it like that.

”You're becoming a crazy cat lady and you don't even own a cat,” he mutters as gets up from the sofa and stretches before trudging into the bathroom to brush his teeth. ”Seriously, you need to get a grip, man. Shit like this is why you're single.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so emotionally invested in this fic already. I hope you are too.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't think i've ever updated an ongoing fic this often. i'm just so invested in this story... i don't know how long i'll be able to keep this up, though, as i have other WIPs to work on. anyway, enjoy the regular updates while they last!

Yuri doesn't show up the day after their conversation.

Or the day after that.

Or even the day after _that_.

Otabek is kind of worried about him, naturally, but doesn't spend a whole lot of time thinking about Yuri. It's not that he doesn't care– it's just that there's a lot on his mind right now. He simply doesn't have the time to worry about Yuri's well-being, even if that makes him a bad person; and honestly, he doesn't really care if it does.

His ex has been calling him. The one who cheated on with Otabek's best friend. While that obviously sucks, it doesn't really sound like that big of a deal– but for Otabek it's a huge deal.

He made himself very clear when they broke up, telling Jean to leave him alone – _don't call me, don't text me, don't try to contact me in any way_ – and it did work at first. Jean stopped trying to win him back and Otabek tried to move on with his life, which was easier said than done. Deciding that it's time to end your relationship with someone is easier than trying to stop caring about them. You can't choose to stop loving someone. Feelings don't work that way.

Everything about the apartment they used to share reminded him of Jean, and Otabek knew he had to move out in order to start over. That was almost a year ago, but his new place still doesn't feel like home. It's too empty and quiet. He keeps telling himself that he's better off alone, that being alone is better than being with someone who doesn't give a shit, but sometimes he doubts that. Sometimes he really misses being with Jay. Sometimes he asks himself if breaking up with Jay was a bad decision and wonders what kind of life they'd have now if they were still together.

But life goes on, and these days he's doing just fine, all things considered. Well, at least he was doing just fine until Jean decided to start calling him again.

” _I really miss you. I still care about you, you know,”_ he always says. ” _I know I fucked up but we all make mistakes, right? We should hang out and talk about it. We had a really good thing going, you and I. Who knows, maybe the spark's still there. Don't you want to give it a shot and find out? You're single, right? You have nothing to lose.”_

The things Jay says are really fucking him up. Otabek knows that he shouldn't listen to him, let alone actually entertain the idea of meeting up with him. He knows that it's a terrible idea and that nothing good will come out of it, but a part of him keeps asking, _what's the worst thing that could happen? Yeah, he may break your heart again, but what if he doesn't? What if he really is the love of your life, do you really want to miss out on that? What if not giving him a second change ends up being the one thing you regret the most when you're laying on your deathbed?_

He hates to admit it but he misses Jean, and it makes his apartment feel even emptier. Coming home from work and having to face the empty side of his bed fills him with dread, he so keeps himself busy and spends as little time at his apartment as possible. He knows running away from his problems won't solve them, but he's not ready to face them yet.

Things aren't much better at work, either. Everyone is talking about the upcoming election, and unfortunately Mary is included in ”everyone.” She has been getting on everyone's nerves, and even the customers have started to complain about her because she's in the habit of letting everyone know what she thinks. The manager keeps giving her warnings but never actually does anything about it, so in the end she always gets away with it and is free to keep trying to shove her political beliefs down everyone's throats.

The election is centered around two very influential politicians whose views on the shapeshifting community and the issues surrounding it could not be more different. One of them is very conservative and thinks that shapeshifters are a ”threat to society” and refers to them as a ”problem that needs to be solved,” while the other has more liberal views and thinks shapeshifters deserve equal rights. One of them sees shapeshifters as people; the other sees them as animals.

It's not hard to tell whose side Mary is on.

For the most part Otabek just tries to ignore her, refusing to discuss subjects such as politics while he's on the clock because he doesn't think it's professional. That seems to really annoy Mary, who keeps telling him that he needs to ”choose a side.” She's annoying even at her best, but when she goes on one of her rants she's almost impossible to deal with. Every passing day makes working with her more and more draining.

At least Tiger has been visiting him. That's the only thing that can make him smile right now. The cat comes to see him every single night at the exact same time, like clockwork, and often stays till the morning. Otabek often catches himself thinking of Tiger as ”his cat” and, to be honest, he really wishes that the cat would stay with him. While he has always loved animals, he has never bonded with one the way he instantly bonded with Tiger. It was a match made in heaven.

It has been a stressful week but Tiger makes everything better. He's like a living diary, patiently listening to Otabek as he talks about his day and providing him with unconditional love. Tiger is one of the best friends he has ever had and he's very grateful for that.

 

* * *

 

Otabek sitting in the living room, waiting for Tiger to jump on the windowsill and tap the pane with its paw, when he suddenly hears a very loud bang followed by aggressive barking and the sound of a cat crying in distress.

It's Tiger's voice. His cat is in trouble.

He jumps to his feet and dashes out of the door and into the narrow alleyway behind his window. The first thing he notices is Tiger, backed up against the wall and trapped between a couple of trashcans, meowing helplessly. Then he notices the big, vicious-looking black dog that's staring at Tiger and growling, looking like it's about to attack the cat any moment now.

He goes to grab Tiger without even thinking about the danger he's putting himself in. The cat is bleeding, for fuck's sake– he needs to get it away from that thing as soon as possible.

The dog's teeth miss his arm by a mere inch as it lunges at him.

”Easy, boy,” Otabek murmurs, keeping his voice low and steady as he begins to back up. ”Easy. I'm not gonna hurt you, so please don't hurt me, okay? Let's just take it easy. I'm just gonna go and leave you be, okay? That's right. Easy."

His heart is pounding as he slowly backs away from the dog, trying not to make any sudden moves. Once he can see his front door from the corner of his eye he makes a run for it, getting inside in record time and slamming the door shut. He can hear the dog jumping against the door, barking and growling, but after a couple of minutes it either gives up or gets bored and leaves.

”Oh fuck, oh no, no no no,” he whispers once he finally gets a chance to take a better look at Tiger. The kitten meows piteously, looking very small and vulnerable as Otabek cradles him in his arms. He's obviously hurt and in need of medical attention. ”It's okay, buddy, it's okay. I'm here. I'm gonna take care of you, okay? I'm gonna take care of you and you're gonna be fine, I promise. You're gonna be just fine. I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you.” 

Sitting at the vet's office is not how Otabek was planning to spend his Friday evening, yet here he is. Maybe he should have seen it coming– it has been one of those days. It has been one of those weeks, really. Everything's gone wrong this week and this just adds up to it.

His nerves are killing him, even though the vet tech assures him that everything's alright and that they will let him know if anything happens. Otabek knows he won't be able to calm down until someone tells him that Tiger is alright and he has nothing to worry about. He will be a nervous wreck until he can be sure there's no need for that anymore.

Tiger is his best friend. He needs to know his best friend will be okay.

”Your cat has not sustained any serious injuries. He's obviously a bit shaken after his ordeal, but other than that he only has a couple of small cuts and scratches. If you give him some TLC and make sure nothing gets infected, he should make a full recovery in no time at all.”

Otabek sighs in relief, gently petting Tiger's head and smiling at the soft little meow the kitten makes. ”Thank you. He's a tough little fella but this scared the life out of me. I thought I was going to lose my best friend.”

”Well, you know what they say about cats: they really do have nine lives. Try to make sure this little guy doesn't use up any more of his.”

”I will,” he nods and shakes the vet's hand with a grateful smile. ”Thanks again. My day would have gone from bad to worse if it wasn't for your help.”

”My pleasure. We're here to help.”

 

* * *

 

”Alright, let's make a deal. You stay here and let me look after you until you get better and promise me you'll _never_ do that again, and I'll let you eat all the tuna you want. Okay?” Otabek says, plopping down on the sofa with a tired sigh. It has been an emotionally draining day and he's exhausted even though it's barely 7 pm. It looks like he won't be going out tonight like he originally planned.

”Look at you with all those stitches. It's okay, though. You're gonna look real tough. Girls like scars. You're gonna impress a cute little lady cat and you're gonna have cute little kittens together. Doesn't that sound nice?”

Tiger meows quietly in response and curls up in his lap.

”If that's your thing, of course. Not everyone wants to start a family. I don't judge. You do you, alright? I just hope your love life turns out better than my own,” he chuckles, tilting his head back and staring up at the ceiling. ”It's a real mess, Tiger. My love life, I mean– or the lack of it. It's like a maze and I'm really fucking lost right now.”

His phone buzzes in his pocket. Otabek ignores it. He knows it's Jean and he doesn't want to deal with him right now. He's not in the right headspace for that– he always makes terrible decisions when he's tired and emotional.

”I'm not sure if I miss my ex or just the thought of being with him. Probably the latter, but... I miss him so fucking much sometimes. I really want to give him another chance, you know? I know it's probably the worst idea in the history of bad ideas, but I'm really lonely and he's saying he wants to get back together with me, and... I don't know.”

He really needs a drink right now. Drinking alone sounds like a great idea. He just needs to make sure that drunk Otabek doesn't call Jean. That would be a disaster he doesn't have enough time or energy to deal with.

”There's this guy that I kinda like, and we get along and stuff, but he has a boyfriend so that's that,” Otabek shrugs, pouring himself a glass of wine. He's even using a proper wine glass; drinking alone doesn't mean he can't be classy. ”Between you and I, the boyfriend seems kinda sketchy but that's really none of my business. I don't know anything about their relationship or the history they have or whatever. And trying to ”help” someone in the hopes of them breaking up with their current partner so that I can date them instead would be pretty damn low. I don't want to be that guy. I'm not _that_ desperate. And besides, I'm a good person."

Well, at least he's trying to be a good person. Sometimes, though, he wonders if having a crush on someone who's already taken makes him a bad person. He's not going to do anything about it, of course, but isn't _wanting_ to do something almost as bad as actually _doing_ it? He's not sure.

”At least I have you, Tiger,” he says with a small smile as he sits back down, trying not to spill his wine. ”At least I have you. You're the only one I can count on.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is jean the jj we all know and love? 
> 
> i don't know. honestly, i don't.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there are other things i should be writing but all i can focus on is this story... please send help

Tiger spends almost a week at his place. Day and night. It's the longest period of time the cat has spent at his apartment in one go. Otabek is pleasantly surprised but also a little concerned because this is very much out of the ordinary. He's pretty sure Tiger just isn't feeling his best yet and will disappear again once he does, but it still makes him wonder what his real owner is like. He's still convinced that Tiger has one; he's just not sure they're taking very good care of their pet.

While he's a little worried about Tiger, he's far more worried about Yuri. It's been well over a week since Otabek last saw him and he can't help but worry, even though there's probably a perfectly good explanation as to why he hasn't been coming to the shop. He's always a little worried when a regular customer suddenly stops showing up, and Yuri's a bit more... special to him than the average customer, for a number of reasons.

When Yuri finally shows up again, he's not looking well.

Otabek is wiping the counter and doesn't realize Yuri has entered the shop before he hears Mary gasp. When he looks up and sees Yuri, he immediately notices why she seems so shocked.

The boy has a black eye. 

The sight makes Otabek's stomach turn. There are millions of potential reasons for that black eye, but for some reason his mind goes straight to the worst case scenario. He saws Mary open her mouth but glares at her in a way that miraculously makes her shut up for once.

”Don't say anything,” he whispers. ”If you ask him what happened or bring it up in some other way, I swear to god I'm gonna make sure you get written up. Okay?” Usually he's not this harsh with her, but she's been getting on his last neve– and this is Yuri they're talking about. Otabek has a soft spot for him and isn't going to let Mary ruin his day any further.

He comes up with a little white lie about there being something wrong with the coffee machine and tells Yuri to go sit down, saying ”I'll be with you in just a sec with your coffee.” Maybe it's not the most imaginative excuse in the world but he wants to have a word with Yuri and this seems like a good way of making it happen.

”There you go,” Otabek smiles, sliding the cup across the table to Yuri. ”Mind if I sit down with you for a moment? I'm on my break; I promise I'm not just slacking off.”

Yuri nods and smiles in return, although his smile isn't as bright as it usually is. ”Sure. Go ahead.”

”Thanks.”

Otabek isn't quite sure how to address the elephant in the room. He's never been too good at dropping hints or being subtle, so he decides to just go for it. ”So, umm, what happened? I mean, you're not looking so hot. No offense.”

”Oh, it was just an accident. Fell down the stairs, you know, nothing dramatic. I'm pretty clumsy sometimes. It's not as bad as it looks, honestly. Doesn't even hurt.”

”Okay. Cool. Well, I'm glad you're alright.”

Otabek doesn't believe a word Yuri says. The boy is smiling and keeping his tone light but it's glaringly obvious that he's hiding something, and the fact that he's not telling the whole truth doesn't sit well with Otabek. If everything was okay, Yuri would have absolutely no reason to lie. He doesn't want to jump into conclusions because he doesn't know what Yuri is hiding, but...

Yuri's phone goes off and he visibly flinches. After quickly glancing at the caller ID he gives Otabek a sheepish smile. ”Sorry, I really gotta answer this.”

”Don't be sorry, it's fine.”

Yuri nods and takes a deep breath before picking up. ”Hi, babe. What? What do you mean? I– will you let me finish? I'm exactly where I said I'd be. Why would I lie to you about– fine. Yes, I'll take a photo. Okay. Yeah, okay. Bye.” He ends the call with a huff and then takes a quick selfie, presumably sending it off to whoever he was talking to.

Otabek raises a brow and nods towards the phone. ”Boyfriend?”

”Yeah. He can be a bit... overprotective sometimes. It's only because he cares, you know. He wants to make sure nothing happens to me, that's why he wants to know where I am and what I'm doing... I'm lucky he's patient enough to put up with me.” 

The words sound rehearsed, like someone else put them in Yuri's mouth, and his voice is flat. Otabek feels like this is one of those situations where you're supposed to step up and do something, but he's not sure if there's anything he can do to help. Sometimes trying to help only makes things worse, and he doesn't know the whole story...

But he can't just walk away without doing something.

”Listen,” Otabek says, writing his phone number on a piece of paper, ”just ignore this if you feel like I'm going too far or stepping out of line or something, but... Here's my number. If you need anything, just text me or give me a call, okay? Even if you just need someone to talk to. And if you feel like you don't need it, just throw it away. It won't hurt my feelings."

Yuri bites at his lip and looks very torn for a moment before he picks up the paper and puts it in his pocket, nodding. ”Okay. Yeah. Thanks.”

”Don't mention it.”

 

* * *

 

**_[text] so, you free this saturday?_ **

Otabek bites at his lip as he reads the text message over and over again. 

_[text: J] why are you asking?_

He wants to just say no. He should just say no, but for some reason it's really hard. Turning Jean down feels rude even though Otabek knows it's ridiculous; he doesn't owe him anything.

**_[text] just wondering_ **

**_[text] in case you wanted to hang out or something_ **

**_[text] have a few drinks, catch up, you know_ **

That's an absolutely terrible idea.

_[text: J] i don't think that's a good idea_

_[text: J] so i'd rather not_

And that's the understatement of the year. He knows that nothing good will come out of seeing Jean in person. That fucker can be really charming when he wants to and Otabek doesn't want to put his willpower to the test like that. He knows what he needs to do but doesn't really trust himself to be able to do it.

**_[text] why?_  **

**_[text] come on, all i wanna do is talk_ **

Yeah, right. 

_[text: J] what is there to talk about?_

_[text: J] you had your chance and you blew it_

_[text: J] end of story_

**_[text] don't be like that_ **

**_[text] we can still be friends, right?_  **

**_[text] or are you seriously still mad at me?_ **

What kind of a question is _that_?

Otabek stares at his phone in disbelief and rolls his eyes. It should be obvious that he's still mad. He never stopped being mad at Jean and he probably never will. He's not the type to forgive and forget – he will resent and remember.

_[text: J] i saw you having sex with my best friend in OUR BED, jean_

_[text: J] you broke my fucking heart. i thought we were gonna get married and then i found out you had been fucking my best friend behind my back. did you honestly think i'd just laugh it off and forgive you?_

_[text: J] newsflash: i didn't. and i'm not going to. i'm still bad and i'm not going to stop being mad because you don't fucking deserve it. you don't deserve my forgiveness, you don't deserve to have me back in your life_

_[text: J] and honestly, i know that's not what you want, you just want to get me back to your bed and i'm better than that. your dick's not that great. it's not worth my dignity._

_[text: J] so go find another booty call because i respect myself too much to sleep with you. just remember to let them know that you don't care about anyone's feelings except for your own, yeah?_  

**_[text] wow. you don't have to be a bitch about it_ **

**_[text] you're so full of yourself, you know_ **

**_[text] who says i even wanted to have sex with you_ **

_[text: J] fuck off, jean. have a nice life without me in it._

_[text: J] if you try to call me again i'll block your number_

God, why did doing that hurt so much? 

Otabek lets his phone fall on the mattress and covers his face with his hands, trying not to cry. His throat feels tight and his eyes are stinging with tears and he feels like he has just made a huge mistake. 

He should be happy. He finally stood up for himself, he knows it was the right thing to do, so why is he so upset? Why does it make him want to cry? Why does it hurt so much to cut someone out of your life when you're know they're toxic and not good for you? 

He really wishes Tiger was here right now, but the cat is gone and that makes him feel even worse. Even his cat that's not really his doesn't want to be around him. How pathetic do you have to be to pretend a random cat is yours because you're just so damn lonely?

His phone vibrates again, and even though Otabek knows checking it right now is probably a really bad idea he picks it up anyway. The text is from a number he doesn't immediately recognize. 

**_[text] hi, it's yuri. you gave me your number earlier today and i just wanted to make sure it's actually your number_  **

He can't help but smile a little through his tears. 

_[text: Yuri] yeah, in case you wanted to reach your friendly neighborhood barista you do have the right number. everything okay?_

**_[text] yeah, everything's cool_ **

**_[text] i just wanted to_ **

**_[text] i don't know_ **

**_[text] say thank you for giving a shit about me_ **

**_[text] not a lot of people do, so. yeah. thanks for that. made my day better_ **

Well, at least he has managed to make someone's day better. That's probably the only good thing he has done today, but it's better than nothing. It has to be.

_[text: Yuri] you're welcome. glad to hear i've done something right today_

_[text: Yuri] hmu literally whenever if anything comes up_

Otabek spends a moment carefully thinking about his next words. He doesn't want to sound like he's coming onto Yuri or make him feel like he has ulterior motives, but at the same time he wants Yuri to know that he likes him as a person.

_[text: Yuri] i think you're cool and stuff so if there's anything i can do i'd be glad to help_

The minutes before Yuri's reply seem to go on forever, and Otabek feels stupidly nervous. He doesn't even know what he's so nervous about. That wasn't even a risky text. He just told someone – a potential friend – that if they need his help, all they have to do is let him know. That's literally it. It's a pretty normal thing to say, right?

**_[text] okay_ **

**_[text] thanks_ **

**_[text] i gotta go now, just thought i'd say thank you and stuff_ **

**_[text] see you around_ **

_[text: Yuri] alright, see you_  

He puts his phone away and releases a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He has no idea where he stands with Yuri right now, but at least he knows exactly where he stands with Jean. There's no way he's going to contact Otabek again after what he just said – he's way too proud for that. That's supposed to be a good thing, but for some reason it doesn't make Otabek feel happy. All he feels is empty.

Before he told Jean to fuck off, there was still a very small chance of them getting back together, something for him to hold on to. Now that's gone and he has nothing left.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> thank you for all the nice comments you've been leaving me, guys. i really appreciate all of them <3

Days turn into weeks, with Otabek still wondering if telling Jean to leave him alone was a good choice. Usually he's able to convince himself that he was only looking after his own well-being and therefore made the right decision but sometimes, when it's late at night and he can't fall asleep, he's haunted by self-doubt. Cutting out someone who was a huge part of your life for years is a big decision– but then again, Jean was the one who chose to throw it all away by cheating on him.

He knows it's Jean's fault but feels awfully guilty nevertheless though he's not sure why.

Luckily spending time with Yuri usually helps him to take his mind off his relationship issues and prevents him from wallowing in self-pity. Yuri often walks him home after his shift and they talk about anything and everything, and if they can't see each other in person Yuri calls or texts him. Slowly but surely they go from acquaintances to friends, both of them feeling like the other just _gets_ them.

Yuri's boyfriend doesn't seem to be too happy about that turn of events. All too often Yuri suddenly tells him that he ”has to go” and even though he never really explains why, it's quite obvious that his boyfriend is the reason he needs to leave so urgently. Otabek hasn't seen the guy in person after the incident at the coffee shop but dislikes him regardless because in his opinion it's obvious he's not treating Yuri right.

It takes a relatively long time before Yuri trusts him enough to talk about his relationship with said boyfriend. Otabek doesn't like to pry so he doesn't ask too many questions, letting Yuri open up to him at his own pace. It starts with small tidbits of information that give Otabek a very general picture of what the guy is like; his name is Alexandr but Yuri calls him Sasha, he's six years older than Yuri, Yuri's friend Viktor (”well, at least he seems to think we're friends”) introduced them and they became a couple soon after.

Sasha is a good guy. In Yuri's opinion, at least, and he brings it up a lot. ”I can be a lot to handle,” he says, ”but he puts up with me anyway. He can be a little overprotective sometimes but it's only because I know I have a habit of getting into all kinds of trouble and he wants to make sure I'm alright. He's not perfect but neither am I, and he's stuck with me way longer than anyone else so far. I owe him so much.”

Otabek isn't sure who Yuri is trying to convince. He's saying a lot of good things about Sasha, saying all the right things, but he doesn't sound like he really means any of it. It almost feels like Yuri is trying to defend his choice to stay with him even though no one has questioned his decision. Not out loud, anyway.

When Yuri finally feels comfortable enough to talk about the cracks in their relationship, he doesn't call them ”issues” or ”problems” even though that's clearly what they are. It starts with small things – he mentions they had another fight, asks Otabek to hang out because he needs to get out of the house, admits that Sasha is the reason for his bad mood – but as time goes by, the real causes for their issues begin to surface.

Yuri talks about Sasha's temper, the way he can go from being perfectly calm to throwing things and screaming in just a few seconds, but blames it on himself for ”making him angry.” He talks about the way Sasha talks down to him like he's just a stupid child who needs to be told what to do and how to behave, but then comes to the conclusion that maybe Sasha is right and he really is a child. He talks about how Sasha doesn't want him to spend time with his friends because he thinks Yuri is going to cheat on him but doesn't seem to think there's anything wrong with that.

Sasha can do no wrong. Everything is always Yuri's fault.

”And besides,” Yuri tells him one night when they're watching a movie at Otabek's place, ”I'm awful when I get mad. If you think you've seen me get mad, you better think again. I may be short but I'm angry as hell and when we fight I'm just as bad as he is. Things would probably be a lot better if I could control my temper but I have issues with that.”

There are so many red flags that Otabek has to wonder why Yuri hasn't left already, but he knows it's not that easy. Sometimes you cling onto a bad relationship simply because you're more afraid of the alternative. The devil you know can seem like a safer choice than the one you don't.

”Sometimes I just walk away and spend a night or two at a friend's place because I can't deal with him. He gets even more furious when I do that but he always calms down eventually,” Yuri shrugs, playing with the drawstrings of his hoodie. ”Sometimes I think about not going back. Every time I do it's like, ”This is it, this is the time I leave him,” but I always get cold feet and go back. It's probably better that way, anyway. I mean, who else would want me? I'm lucky to have someone to look after me, sometimes I just forget that.”

That's something Otabek cannot bring himself to agree with. He firmly believes Yuri would be better off alone, but he knows he can't change Yuri's mind because the change has to come from within. He can't force Yuri to break up with Sasha, either. All he can really do is be there for Yuri as a friend, give him advice when he asks for it, help him when he needs it and hope that he sees the light soon and that things turn out okay.

”Obviously you two have a lot of history together and there's a lot that I don't know,” Otabek says tentatively, trying to choose his words carefully, ”but I really think that you should take some time for yourself to think about things. Life is short and you shouldn't spend it with someone who doesn't make you happy. And even if you come to the conclusion that he's the one you want to be with, at least you'll know for sure that it's what you want, you know?”

”Yeah, I know. I just feel like... I'd be disrespecting him if I did that, you know?” Yuri says quietly and hugs his knees to his chest. ”I'm difficult, I know I am, and being with me hasn't been easy for him, and I don't want to just... abandon him like that. I need to give him another shot, I feel like I owe that to him.”

 _You've given him too many changes already,_ Otabek thinks to himself and hands Yuri a cup of tea. ”You're not disrespecting anyone by putting your own needs first. Sometimes you have to be selfish, it's good for you. If you keep thinking about everyone else's feelings and not your own, you'll burn out eventually. That wouldn't be good for either of you, right?”

”Thanks.” Yuri accepts the cup with a nod and blows into it before taking a sip. He bites his lip, looking like there's something he wants to say, but then shakes his head as if to cast off the thought. ”And yeah, I guess so. Since we're on the subject, can I... Is it okay if I stay the night? We kind of had a fight today and I don't really wanna go back yet. I mean, I know you have to work in the morning but-”

Otabek interrupts him, waving his hand dismissively and saying, ”Of course you can spend the night here. That's what friends are for, right?”

”Thanks. Honestly, I really appreciate it. I promise I won't bother you. I'm like a cat, you won't even know I'm here.”

”That sounds highly unlikely,” Otabek grins, trying to lighten the mood. ”Seriously, though, it's okay. Not being alone all the time is a nice change so I really don't mind. Anyway, you have two choices. You can take the couch or you can sleep in my bed– no innuendo intended, mind you, and I'm gonna stay on my side if you do. I'm only suggesting it because my bed is huge and comfier than the sofa, but I understand if you're not comfortable with that kind of a thing. I'm cool with either.”

Yuri laughs quietly and nods. ”I... I'll think about it.”

Because he has to get up at 6 am, Otabek goes straight to bed after they have finished the movie. He says goodnight to Yuri and walks into his bedroom, leaving the door unlocked and slightly ajar. Even though he's pretty sure Yuri's going to sleep on the couch, it doesn't hurt to give him a chance to change his mind. After all, his bed really is much more comfortable than the sofa.

He falls asleep quickly but wakes up a couple of hours later after a weird dream. Something feels different than before and he blinks owlishly as he sits up and tries to figure out what has changed. The answer, as he soon discovers, is right next to him; Yuri has curled up on the bed next to him, still fully dressed for whatever reason, and is sleeping soundly.

Otabek smiles to himself as he watches the sleeping boy. Yuri looks so... peaceful, like all of his worries have gone away and there's nothing wrong in the world. He has never seen Yuri look so relaxed before, and the thought makes him a little sad. There's a mixture of anxiety and nervousness surrounding Yuri that never really goes away, not completely.

”I wish I could solve make your problems go away,” he whispers as he lies down and closes his eyes again. ”I really do.”

 

* * *

 

Yuri walks him to work in the morning, even though Otabek told him not to get up so soon for no reason whatsoever and that he didn't need to do that. It turns out that Yuri is extremely stubborn and doesn't take no for an answer when he has made up his mind, so eventually Otabek just puts his hands up and gives in.

”I like early mornings. Like, really early mornings, when people are still sleeping and everything is still calm and quiet and the sun is rising and makes it look like you're in a movie or something,” Yuri muses, keeping his eyes on the sidewalk and trying to avoid stepping on the cracks. ”It almost makes me feel like I'm in a different universe. You know what I mean?”

Otabek nods. ”Yeah, I do. It's like you're in a different place and time. Physically you're there but at the same time you're _not_ there. It makes me feel like I want to paint a masterpiece or compose a song or write a novel even though I'm not artistic at all.”

”Well, it doesn't have to be good,” Yuri shrugs. ”I mean, you can do stuff for your own enjoyment, right? You don't have to show it to anyone. I used to dance and figure skate because I liked it, not because I was good at it– though I guess I was pretty good at both. Before I quit, people were always telling me I could be a professional one day.”

”Why did you quit?”

There's an immediate change in the atmosphere, and Otabek knows he has accidentally brought up a touchy subject even though that wasn't his intention. He immediately regrets asking asking the question as Yuri's smile disappears and he goes quiet, looking away from Otabek and shrugging.

”Dunno. I just did. It happens sometimes.”

”Okay.”

The next time Yuri speaks up is when they arrive at the coffee shop. He's smiling again and doesn't seem to be upset anymore, and even though Otabek feels like Yuri's faking it, it does make him feel better. He hates upsetting people, even when it's by accident, so a fake smile is better than no smile.

”Thanks again. I... I think you're really great, okay? I know I didn't make a great first impression but you gave me a chance to redeem myself, and you've been really helpful, and... yeah. I just wanted to say thank you for being there for me. Being my friend probably isn't easy, so you must have the patience of a saint.”

”You're not that difficult,” Otabek says honestly as he unlocks the door. ”And, you know, you don't wanna be someone's friend if you don't like them, right? And if you like them, you want to help them. So it's not like I'm making a huge sacrifice here. Just doing what any decent friend would do.”

”You're more than decent. Anyway, I'm off. Have a good day serving lattes to hipsters,” Yuri grins, glancing at Otabek over his shoulder and waving as he starts to walk away. ”Talk to you later.”

”I'll try,” Otabek laughs. ”See you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: when i was looking at russian male names and trying to come up with a name for yuri's boyfriend, i discovered that the name "ermolai" literally means "a heap of stones" and for some reason that's hilarious to me.
> 
> "this is my son, a heap of stones."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> please be aware that this chapter contains mentions of non-graphic descriptions of violence and descriptions of an abusive relationship. if that's something you're not comfortable with, i suggest you skip this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been feeling really meh about my writing lately but i'm here with a new chapter anyway! i express my love for yuri by putting him through hell and i'd say i'm sorry but i'm not. 
> 
> enjoy... i guess?

Otabek sees Yuri almost every other day for a couple of weeks, but then something changes. Yuri starts texting him less frequently, visits the coffee shop less often, and acts more reserved towards Otabek. He's 99% sure it has something to do with Yuri's boyfriend; he knows Sasha doesn't like the idea of Yuri having close friends, which in itself is really worrying, and he wouldn't be surprised if Sasha had told Yuri to spend less time with him. 

When he gets a text in the middle of his shift, he decides to read it immediately. Normally he only checks his phone during his breaks, but they're currently not busy and for some reason he feels like it could be important. It's just a hunch.

_**[text] are you working?** _

_**[text: Yuri] yeah. why?** _

_**[text] i really need to see you** _

_**[text] like asap** _

Otabek doesn't like the sound of that.

When Yuri texts him it's usually either ”hey, you wanna hang out?” or ”you'll never guess what happened to me today,” or something equally casual. Anything that requires his immediate attention concerns him because it means something could be wrong. Yuri can be dramatic and blow things out of proportion sometimes, but Otabek doesn't believe he's joking around this time. This seems serious.

”Hey, can you cover the rest of my shift for me? Something just came up and it's kind of an emergency.”

”Sure. I owe you one, anyway.”

”Thanks." 

_**[text: Yuri] where are you?** _  

_**[text: Yuri] i can leave in like 5 min** _

_**[text] meet me at your place?** _

_**[text: Yuri] okay** _

The ten-minute drive to his place seems to take forever, and Otabek tries to ignore the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach and focus on the traffic. Things probably aren't as bad as they seem; his mind is just going straight to the worst-case scenario. He wants to believe that seeing Yuri in person is going to make him feel better. 

It doesn't. 

Yuri has a split lip and a black eye, and it looks like he has been bleeding from his nose. The sight of him makes Otabek see red– he doesn't need to ask what happened, he already knows, and the thought fills him with rage. He tries to stay calm, for Yuri's sake, but on the inside he's fuming. ”Hi.”

”Hi.” Yuri nods at him, seemingly calm despite the circumstances. ”I look like shit, I know.”

”I don't think you should be worrying about the way you look right now,” Otabek says, taking off his helmet. ”Come, I'll see what I can do.”

This is the first time he's seen Yuri look this bad. Sure, there have been some cuts and bruises Otabek found suspicious, but nothing this severe. He hoped things would never get to this point but sadly he's not surprised. It was only a matter of time.

”So, what did you fight about this time?” Otabek asks as he opens the medicine cabinet. Yuri's sitting at the kitchen table, staring out of the window. ”Looks like it was serious. I'm getting really worried about you, Yuri– if this goes on any longer, I-”

”I'm not going back,” Yuri says sharply. ”It's over."

”You keep saying that but you go back to him every time.” He isn't trying to be sarcastic; he's just stating a fact. It frustrates him to see Yuri make the same bad choices over and over again, even though he knows that he can't fully understand how Yuri feels because he has never been in a similar situation.

”I mean it this time."

Otabek has heard Yuri say that before as well but chooses to stay quiet and focus on cleaning the cut on Yuri's lip. He tries to be as careful and gentle as possible but Yuri hisses in discomfort anyway. ”Sorry,” Otabek murmurs, ”I know it stings but I gotta disinfect this. You don't want it to get infected.”

He proceeds to wipe the rest of the blood off Yuri's face and then gets him some ice from the freezer to make the swelling around his eye go down. Having done everything he can for now, Otabek takes a seat and gives Yuri a meaningful glance. ”You still haven't told me what you fought about.”

”It's complicated.” Yuri's voice is clipped and he refuses to look Otabek in the eye. ”And it doesn't matter.” 

”It matters to me. And I've got all the time in the world. You know I'm always happy to help you but I'd really like to know what the hell's going on. Don't you think I deserve to know?”

”Well, yeah, but..."

Yuri exhales slowly and closes his eyes. He looks like he's at war with himself, trying to decide whether he should tell Otabek the truth. Neither of them says anything for almost five minutes before he finally speaks up again. ”If you want me to explain what happened, there's something I have to tell you first. It's something I should've told you a long time ago but I didn't know how you'd react. I... if I tell you this, you have to promise not to tell anyone. And I mean anyone. I could get into a lot of trouble if people found out that...” He takes a deep breath. ”Just promise me you'll keep your mouth shut.”

Well, that doesn't sound ominous at all. ”I promise,” Otabek nods. ”Your secret is safe with me.” 

”Okay.” Yuri takes another deep breath. ”I'm gonna show you something. Don't freak out, alright?” 

He slowly takes off his hood.

Seconds tick by as Otabek's brain tries to process what he's looking at and what's wrong with it. It's just Yuri, but there's something different about him. Something that would make him stand out from a crowd. 

Yuri has cat ears.

Otabe has seen a lot of normal people, and he has seen shifters both in their human forms and in their animal forms, but this is something he has never encountered before. He has never seen a human with animal features. It doesn't make him freak out like Yuri apparently expected– he's not shocked as much as he is surprised. This is something that's completely new to him.

”Wow. I wasn't expecting that,” he finally says, staring at Yuri in amazement. ”That's... different.”

Yuri sighs in relief. ”That's a pretty good reaction. I was expecting worse, honestly. I- I can make them go away, but only for a couple of hours at a time. It takes a lot of effort. My hoodies aren't a fashion statement, I use them to hide _this_. I also have a tail to complete the look,” he adds dryly. ”Anyway. Yeah. I'm a shifter, I'm just a little... dysfunctional. I look normal when I shift but other shifters can still tell there's something wrong with me, and the rest of the time I look like this.” 

”Why didn't you tell me earlier?” Otabek asks, still openly staring at him. It's probably rude to stare but he just can't take his eyes off Yuri.

Yuri laughs and quirks a brow. ”Take a wild guess. Most people don't really like shifters, especially if they're weird like me. It's not that I don't trust you, I just didn't want to take that risk. I didn't want you to stop talking to me.”

”I wouldn't have,” Otabek says honestly. ”I'm not like most people. If I like you as a person, I literally don't give a damn about whether you're a shifter or not.”

”Maybe, but it's not really something you can just casually bring up. I didn't know how to tell you so I didn't. Not the best course of action, I know, but that's what I did. You never asked, either, so technically I wasn't lying to you.”

”I guess so. So, why are you like... that? I don't mean to be rude, I'm just curious. I never knew people like you even existed.”

”No idea,” Yuri shrugs. ”I seriously don't know. I never knew my dad so I don't know if there was something wrong with his genes or whatever. Something just went wrong with me. My mom left when I was five and left me with my grandfather because she didn't want to deal with me. I used to think she left because I wasn't good enough but as I grew up I realized it was because I was different. Too different. A freak.”

”I don't think you're a freak.” Not that Otabek can really blame Yuri for feeling that way, though. Being different is always difficult, and he can only imagine what Yuri went through growing up. ”So, I assume your boyfriend knows?”

”Yeah. Sasha... he's a shifter as well, and he knows what I am. Most shifters shun me because I'm different but he didn't. I thought he was just open-minded. That he cared about me. How stupid can you be, right?” Yuri rolls his eyes. ”Eventually he started using it as a weapon against me. Threatening to expose me, telling me that no one else is ever going to want someone like me so I should be grateful I have him, that I need him to survive... And I started to believe him.”

”You're not stupid, Yuri,” Otabek says quietly. ”It could happen to anyone. You were just unlucky, that's all. People like him are good at manipulating others and constantly looking for someone to take advantage of– I've seen it happen to my friends. You were vulnerable and he noticed that.”

”Vulnerable _and_ stupid, but I guess I'm lucky in the sense that I'm also difficult. If I had an easier personality, he would've brainwashed me completely by now. Anyway, a couple of things happened and my eyes began to open. Meeting you was one of those things. I started to realize that our ”relationship” was screwed up but I was... I was scared to leave. I know it sounds ridiculous but it was really hard to imagine a life without him. I really felt like I needed him. I guess that's what he wanted. To make me feel like he was my only option so that I wouldn't leave, you know? I'm only starting to see that now.” 

Otabek has to wonder why shit like that happens to good people; his own relationship issues pale in comparison to what Yuri has been going through. And while Yuri may not be an angel, no one deserves to be treated like that, especially by someone who's supposed to love and care for them. It's fucked up in so many ways.

”The last few weeks have been really bad. Like, worse than usual. I'm not sure what's up with him but he's really suspicious lately. He's convinced I'm up to no good every single time I leave he house. And today I had a fight with him. Once again. He told me that I don't need friends and that he should be the only person in my life. It's not the first time he's said that, but this time I stood up to him. I told him that I didn't need _him_ in my life.” Yuri gingerly touches his swollen lip and grimaces. ”I've never seen him that angry.”

Those six little words send chills down Otabek's spine.

”I think the way my face looks is enough to tell you what happened next. It's... not the first time he's hit me, but I'm pretty sure you figured that out on your own.” 

Otabek nods. ”I did, yeah. At first I thought I was just thinking too much into it, but...”

”You weren't.” Yuri shakes his head. ”You weren't. I always told myself that it's not _that_ serious and that it's not going to happen again, but turns out I was wrong. It's never been this bad, though. Nowhere near this bad. I think that's what made me snap. I just felt... different. I realized that it's time to put an end to this. After he was done with me he stormed off, and usually I'd just wait for him to come back and apologize, but... I didn't. I packed my bag and left. And I have no idea what I'm gonna do now but I'm not going back. I'm not. Not this time.”

It sounds really simple, but Otabek already knows it's going to be anything but. If leaving an abusive relationship was that easy, the world would be a very different place. He has seen his friends leave their abusive partners and then go back to them, time and time again, swearing it would be the last time and then doing it again.

”You can stay here if you want,” Otabek offers. ”Until you figure out what you're gonna do and get back on your feet and stuff.”

”Thank you.” Yuri's voice is filled with genuine gratefulness. ”I know I haven't been a very good friend lately and you've already done too much for me. I'll make it up to you, I promise. I just need time to figure some stuff out.”

”Don't mention it. It sounds like you really need a friend right now, and it's the least I can do.” 

”Shut up and accept my gratitude,” Yuri laughs. ”I don't often say thank you, believe it or not, so shut up and take it. There's one more thing I should tell you, by the way. You know the cat you've been feeding?”

”Yeah, what about– wait, how do you know about Tiger?” Otabek stares at Yuri in confusion and then it dawns on him. ”Don't tell me you are-”

Yuri grins and nods. ”Yep. I am. Sometimes when I want to zone out and get away from everything, I shift and just wander around. I ended up in your kitchen by accident, but then I realized it was you and started coming around more often. Things were really bad at... his place so I didn't want to spend a lot of time there, and you were really nice to me– or should I say you were nice to Tiger? Anyway, I liked having someone take care of me for once, so thanks for that. And I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I... guess that was a bit uncool of me.” 

”All the stuff I talked to Tiger about– do you remember any of it?”

He really hopes the answer is no, because he told Tiger about his crush on Yuri. 

”Some of it, yeah,” Yuri says, nodding again. ”But I wasn't really paying attention most of the time, and everything's different when you're a cat; it's hard to explain but anyway, I don't remember most of it. I'm sorry for sort of eavesdropping on you, I promise I won't tell anyone. I hope you're not mad at me.”

”You could've told me sooner,” Otabek huffs, ”but it's fine, I guess. I'm not mad, I'm just surprised. And it's not like I told Tiger anything I wouldn't have told _you_.” That's a lie but he doesn't want Yuri to know he told Tiger a lot of really embarrassing things.

”Okay, good. Sorry again. I just really needed a place to go and you seemed to enjoy having me around so it seemed like a win-win.”

”Yeah, I understand that. I'm going to miss having Tiger around, though.”

”Hey, if you miss Tiger I'm sure I can arrange something,” Yuri laughs. ”If you need someone to pet, all you have to do is let me know. I don't mind. I kind of liked sleeping in your lap, anyway. You're comfortable.”

Otabek's cheeks feel warm and he runs a hand through his hair, laughing awkwardly. ”Yeah. I'll keep that in mind. Let me take a look at your eye to see if the swelling has gone down yet...”

His life just became a whole lot weirder.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you receive 10 brownie points if you guessed the truth about tiger before the grand reveal :^)


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